Renault Megane RS vs Toyota GR Yaris
Verdict
The Renault Megane RS is the easier Malaysian hot hatch to live with: RM279,888, five seats, a 384-litre boot and a 255 km/h top speed. The Toyota GR Yaris costs RM315,600 but brings the sharper numbers that matter on a back road: 296 hp, 400 Nm, all-wheel drive and 0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds. It is smaller and less practical, with four seats and just 174 litres of boot space. Buy with your use case, not just your heart.
Pick the Renault Megane RS if you want the manual hot hatch that gives you more cabin and boot space for less money.
Pick the Toyota GR Yaris if you want the quicker manual car with all-wheel drive, more power and a longer warranty.
Key differences
- Price: Renault Megane RS RM279,888; Toyota GR Yaris RM315,600
- Output: Renault Megane RS 276 hp and 390 Nm; Toyota GR Yaris 296 hp and 400 Nm
- Driven wheels: Renault Megane RS front-wheel drive; Toyota GR Yaris all-wheel drive
- Performance: Renault Megane RS 0-100 km/h in 5.8 s and 255 km/h; Toyota GR Yaris 5.2 s and 230 km/h
- Practicality: Renault Megane RS 5 seats and 384 L boot; Toyota GR Yaris 4 seats and 174 L boot
- Warranty and road tax: Renault Megane RS 3 years and RM279/year; Toyota GR Yaris 5 years and RM207/year
| Price & overview | ||
|---|---|---|
| Price | RM 279,888✓ | RM 315,600 |
| Body type | Hatchback | Hatchback |
| Segment | C-Segment | B-Segment |
| Seats | 5 | 4 |
| Assembly | CBU | CBU |
| Powertrain | ||
| Fuel | Petrol | Petrol |
| Engine | 1,798 cc | 1,618 cc |
| Power | 276 hp | 296 hp✓ |
| Torque | 390 Nm | 400 Nm✓ |
| Transmission | Manual | Manual |
| Driven wheels | Front Wheel Drive | All Wheel Drive |
| Performance | ||
| 0–100 km/h | 5.8 s | 5.2 s✓ |
| Top speed | 255 km/h✓ | 230 km/h |
| Efficiency | ||
| Fuel economy | 7.9 L/100km | — |
| CO₂ | 181 g/km | — |
| Dimensions | ||
| Length | 4,364 mm | 3,995 mm |
| Width | 1,875 mm | 1,805 mm |
| Height | 1,445 mm | 1,455 mm |
| Wheelbase | 2,669 mm | 2,560 mm |
| Boot space | 384 L✓ | 174 L |
| Fuel tank | 50 L | 50 L |
| Safety | ||
| Airbags | 6 | 6 |
| Auto emergency braking | — | Yes |
| Ownership | ||
| Warranty | 3 | 5✓ |
| Road tax / year | RM 279 | RM 207✓ |
Specs shown for the selected variant of each car. ✓ marks the better figure where lower/higher is objectively better. Road tax: West Malaysia, private registration.
Megane RS
- RM35,712 cheaper than the Toyota GR Yaris
- Five seats and a much larger 384-litre boot
- Higher 255 km/h top speed
- Slower 5.8-second 0-100 km/h time
- Front-wheel drive against the Toyota’s all-wheel drive
- Shorter 3-year warranty
GR Yaris
- Quicker 5.2-second 0-100 km/h time
- 296 hp, 400 Nm and all-wheel drive
- Five-year warranty and auto emergency braking
- Costs RM35,712 more
- Only four seats and a 174-litre boot
- Lower 230 km/h top speed
Megane RS vs GR Yaris FAQ
Is the Renault Megane RS or Toyota GR Yaris better?
The Toyota GR Yaris is the better performance pick with 296 hp, 400 Nm, all-wheel drive and 0-100 km/h in 5.2 seconds. The Renault Megane RS is better for daily use with five seats, a 384-litre boot and the lower price.
What is the price difference?
The Toyota GR Yaris costs RM35,712 more than the Renault Megane RS. The gap buys more power, all-wheel drive, quicker acceleration, a five-year warranty and auto emergency braking, but you lose one seat and 210 litres of boot space.
Which one is more practical for daily use?
The Renault Megane RS is more practical. It has five seats versus four in the Toyota GR Yaris, plus a 384-litre boot against 174 litres. It is also a larger C-segment hatchback, while the Toyota is a B-segment hatchback.